Saturday, October 28, 2006
Chrysler Championship
PALM HARBOR, Fla. -- K.J. Choi made a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to finish the third round the same way he started, with a one-shot lead over Ernie Els and two others. But it sure felt like a lifetime of work to keep it that way. In a blustery round in which six players had at least a share of the lead, Choi overcame a few hiccups on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook for a 1-under 70 that left him one shot clear of Els (70), Brian Gay (70) and resurgent Paul Goydos (69), who was No. 160 on the money list and now has a chance to avoid Q-school. Choi never made more than three pars in a row, and that was on the back nine when he was trying to hang on. He was at 9-under 204 and will try to win this tournament for the second time in five years. The biggest surprise was the tour's hottest player, Troy Matteson. He started the day eight shots behind, was 5 under through his first five holes and wound up with a 64, leaving himself only two shots behind going into the final round.
Charles Schwab Cup Championship
SONOMA, Calif. -- Jim Thorpe stayed steady while the other contenders lurched up and down the leaderboard, finishing the third round with a two-stroke lead over Jay Haas, Tom Kite and Loren Roberts. Thorpe parlayed four straight birdies after the turn into a 5-under 67, leaving him two shots ahead of second-round leader Kite -- as well as Haas and Roberts, the Champions Tour's top two players throughout the season. All four contenders still are in prime position to claim the $440,000 first prize in the season-ending event.
Dubai Ladies Masters
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Annika Sorenstam shot her second straight 4-under 68 to increase her lead to seven strokes after the third round. The top-ranked Swede had a 15-under 201 total on the Emirates Golf Club's Majlis Course. Australia's Karrie Webb was second after a 70, and European Solheim Cup captain Helen Alfredsson of Sweden was 7 under after a 68. France's Gwladys Noceras, needing a victory to take the money title from English star Laura Davies, was 15 strokes back at even par after a 72. Davies is skipping the event to play in the LPGA Tour event in South Korea.
Kolon-Hana Bank Championship
GYEONGJU, South Korea -- Jin Joo Hong, a South Korean playing in her first LPGA Tour event, shot a 5-under 67 to take a four-stroke after the second round of the Kolon-Hana Bank Championship.
Volvo Masters
SOTOGRANDE, Spain -- The race for the European money title is down to 18 holes, with England's Paul Casey in the lead, but nine strokes behind India's Jeev Milkha Singh after the third round.
World Amateur Team Championship
STELLENBOSCH, South Africa -- Will Besseling shot a 7-under 65 to help the Netherlands take a two-stroke lead over the United States, Canada and Wales after the third round.
Associated Press
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